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How to Evaluate Translation Deadlines

Language Translation Facts

How to Evaluate Translation Deadlines

When you are preparing for a translation project, there are a few factors to consider when evaluating the translation deadlines. Apart from the TEP (translation, editing and proofreading), the source file preparation, subject matter research, glossary development, target language and locale selection, desktop publishing requirements and quality assurance steps are important factors that determine the turnaround time for completing a project.

Below are the details of how these factors affect translation deadlines.

Source File Preparation

Regardless of the type of translation you are requesting (software, document, website, etc.), the source content needs to be extracted and prepared in an editable file in order for translators to perform the translation. For example, if you wish to have your website translated, you need to have tools that will extract the content rather than copying/pasting. Using extraction tools, like one of GPI’s CMS connectors, you can simply export the content/pages you wish to translate, which alleviates the manual, error-prone and timely process of copying/pasting.

Subject Matter Research & Glossary Development

When reviewing the source files, the project manager and dedicated language leads will spend time studying any reference materials or background information provided by the client. Based on the source files and reference materials, the translation team may develop a glossary of terms and specific style guides based on a client’s requests.

Target Languages & Locales

The translation turnaround time also depends on the target languages required by the client. Based on a specific country or cultural values of the target market, cultural correctness reviews and customizations will be provided in order to include the correct and appropriate graphics, signs, currency, etc. in the translated files.

Translation, Editing & Proofreading

According to translation industry best practices, all translations are performed by a base translation/copywriting team and edited/proofread by a second linguistic team to ensure accuracy and consistency of the translations.

Desktop Publishing

After translations are done, localization of graphics and multimedia elements and formatting of fonts, layout, and design are necessary to ensure the final files match the original files provided.

Quality Assurance

Throughout your translation project, a comprehensive quality assurance process is incorporated. Each step in your translation workflow includes a series of checklist-based quality audits and can easily be incorporated and customized according to the client’s requirements.

To summarize, the above factors need to be taken into consideration when evaluating your translation project deadlines. GPI follows best practice in the translation industry to ensure quality and efficient delivery of our projects while trying our best to customize our workflow based on client-specific requests and preferred schedules.